Diving bell



Aug.16,1949. J DMMOND' z.,4' 9,217

DIVING BELL Filed March 5, 1946 gvQwwtQw JACK DIAMOND invention relates andi'fmore particularly to portable diving bells,

which may be-outilinediorpurpnses of entertaini ment and instruction: f

It, sanfobjeot @et a device of the above characterl-.evrhicrnshjnlitachable .tea,.counteli-xllteiglit4 qrcother object affixed below the surface ofthe water;v

It israiurther object of thefinvention toepmxt'rde adivineiben whicnshaill b 'eihle mnlrrwtlie control lacabie and, imm sumaceiorthewater. A i

` it is still'aiurther obiectednthe inventing to prairideagdving.hellwhichtshekhbereadilgmsportami.onenointL v ft* l lnothmfnhieetcf the invention-,is to drngjbeiconstrunied 171 plastic material, to permit easy observation of scenes and occurrences taking place externally of the diving beu. Y y l v Still a further object ofthe invention is to provide a diving bell which shall be submersible by means of a tension responsive mechanism comprisme a cable, and in which the cable itself provides a guiding means for the bell during its lsubmersion and ascent.

The above and still further objects of the invention will become evident upon study of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, Wherein like charactersofreference are applied to the same parts in the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View of one embodiment of Ythe invention;

' reference numeral I denominates a kboom supported by a lighter orV other suitable craft (not shown.) Suspended from the boom over a pulley 2 is a cable 3 which may be tensioned by a winch, or other suitable mechanism located in the lighter.

'I'he cable extends downwardly into the water 5, preferably in a vertical direction, and passes to a block 6, preferably having a plurality of sheaves, and which is secured Vto a concrete block 1 or other body firmly secured at the bottom of the body of water Within which the bell is to be submerged. In some instances the concrete block maybe dispensed with, if

`there should be available a. suitable rock forma- "positimsat: fthe Willemsen? (ci.:sig-:saai .Ly 'Y or a scambiato-fg, annemasse-thmes, Y -1 v reetrie-parmiseser;attainingesumeieneimecnaneiiadvantage to enable submersion 4of the bell-.Knittin-l ont-thefapplfcationlofi-undue-ffce-tothe 3. microfiber-ating bl oclr-,1rorlbloe'ka-I, lmy-belseemvei te @imipenem drinne-@neil l; lanuf'meaemea timately is secured to the block-'2y vingts; .wherebyeto-enable exertion orfmdown'wrd 311.V l.. n Y -1 Y. Thefcable @fin-.its downwardiextensionfumglln boom sees through. an-azaiatubeiilmvm rs-nffswurefrlmimmnyectemetmwirie ndi flbwerrsntfaeesf:eftheebeltian the drawings, and may be constructed in the.

shape of a right circular cylinder, suitably braced internally thereof, and provided with a series yo f glass portholes I4, to enable viewing of the scene external to the bell.

Suitable provision is made for entrance into the bell, in the form of a door I5, provided with dogs I6 for tightening same to water-tight condition.

While the location of the door I4 is preferably inv the upper wall of the bell il,V other suitable locations may of course be preferred, in the proper circumstances. 1

In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings is illustrated a form of bell 2U having a novel construction, in

4that the bell is constructed in octagonal shape, .k

and the Walls I1 of the Octagon are fabricated of -transparent plastic material, suitably sealed at the common edges I8 thereof.V In this form theV general construction and mode of operation is similar to that provided in the embodiment of Figure 1 of the drawings. The use'of transparent plastic sides for the bell, however, provides a. structure providing clear visibility in all directions, with a minimum of dlmculty on the part of the persons occupying the bell.

The bells 8 and 20 are provided each with a. lattice flooring I9, at a position raised with re-, spect to the bottom of the bell, the space 2| be-.- tween the flooring I 9 and the bottom of the bells being utilized for the purpose of carrying ballast,

f-:weideeete zur internally Y and there may be placed within the space 2| suitable ballast in the form of pig iron, concrete or other dense material, whereby to counterbalance to a large degree the natural buoyancy of the bells when submerged. In this manner the force required to submerge the bell to the required depth may be reduced to a practical minimum value.

Suitable cross braces 22 may be provided for the bells ,toV preventrcollapse there'oi'due to--ex'l ternal pressure' of thewater in which the bell may be submerged. Additionally, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the -draw ings a series of circular frame members composed of suitably bent channels 23 may be provided for the bell 8, and in Figures 3 and 4 the framework may be likewise constructed of suitable channels` 24 riveted together to form al frame of octagonalY cross section and to which the plastic sheets may be secured.

Itis to bevunderstcod that, although I have illustrated in Figures 3 and 4' an embodiment of the., invention having, an octagonal shape, that more or less than eight sides may be founddesizable. .Y

v1 Itisiurther deemed obvious that the upper andlcwer surfaces of the bells 8 may be not only flat,as -illustrated and described, but` conical in shape,ifdesired. i

The embodiments of the invention herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings m-ay be modied in respect to the general arrangement of the parts,.or the details of constructions, without'l doing violence to the spirit of the invention, asdened in the appended claim. i What-I claim ,and desiredto secureby Letters Patent of'theUnited-Statesis: 1

extending from said supporting means through said passage and thence about said pulley means #fand v'to said coupling means, said pulley means,

said cable, and said means mechanically coupling A:bein'g'adapted to exert force tending to effect downward motion of said bell against the buoyance of said bell in response to force applied to said=rst end, said cable and passage serving as a sole guide means fori said diving bell during saiddownward motion. y v f JACK DIAMOND.

' laEFERLNCES `CITED The following -references are fof* record in the Unirse' s'rAfrEslPA'rENrrs v f. Date Number s Name 259,279 Rose etal; ;---June 6, 1882 V331,429 lMontague Dec. 1, 1885 394,149 Baker v Dec. l1, 1888 576,735 lLutherx.; r Feb. 9; 1897 700,769 'Hazardg May 27, 1902 908,095 -Hassan v Dec. 29, 1908. 1,766,566 Tucker i June 24,1930 

